Just This Once
by Princess of the Knight
Summary: Just this once, Tseng wanted to forget he worked for Shinra. Aerith/Tseng


**Disclaimer- I do not own Final Fantasy**

**Just This Once**

Autumn leaves fell down from the large maple tree above her. The vibrant orange, yellow and red hues danced as the floated down to the ground. Aerith Gainsborough sipped her steaming cup of hot chocolate, complete with tiny marshmallows melting at the top. She wore a light pink cardigan over her pink dress. On her feet, as always were her plain brown boots. Her hair let loose from any confines, something many rarely saw. Her brown tresses were thick and wavy, because of the braid she usually kept it in.

She sipped her drink, oblivious to the maple leaf that landed on her head. She savored the warmth it gave her body from the chilly air. She was also oblivious of a man approaching her down the cobblestone path. She only became aware when he stopped in front of her.

Aerith looked up, to see a man dressed in a neatly pressed black suit. Underneath this man's black coat was white dress shirt and around his neck, a perfectly tied tie. She looked up to see the face of the man and smiled. His long black hair was slicked back into a ponytail, giving anyone an ample view of what appeared to be a tilak.

"It's good to see you Tseng." Aerith smiled up at him.

Tseng stared down at her. She looked so pretty in such simple garments. She was not like the rich snobs who covered their faces with makeup and work expensive garments. No, she was naturally beautiful. Tseng always liked that about her.

"Sit," she said offering a spot next to her.

Tseng stared at the tiny leaf on her head, as absurd as it looked it fitted her. She was warm like the leaves. He could imagine her sleeping on the grass with leaves falling all around her. How beautiful she looked.

"No thank you," he insisted on standing. "You don't have a letter this time?"

"No, like I said that was my last letter."

"You said that before, on your tenth letter, twenty-third, fortieth, fifty-eighth…"

"I tried to retain hope that he would write back or call me. I never wrote to him saying I would stop writing except in my last letter. He probably found someone. He was a ladies man…"

Tseng watched her lower her eyes to the steaming cup in her hand. Tseng disliked the idea when Zack and Aerith began "dating." There was no question that he did harbor some feelings for the cetra. Yet behind his expressionless face, no one could really tell. He never objected to their relationship, partially because Aerith was safer being with Zack rather then himself. He was a Turk and any relationship between the two would be strenuous.

Being a Turks meant a lifelong sentence of servitude to Shinra. Shinra the people who were obsessed with money, power, and the promise land. The promise land is a place only accessible by the Cetra. Aerith Gainsborough was the last Cetra. The Turks were supposed to capture the last Cetra. Tseng was supposed to apprehend her and take her in. Yet, he could not, would not do it.

She looked back up at him with those beautiful emerald eyes. No hints of sadness were in those eyes. Another thing about Aerith that astounded him was how she moved on. She never kept lasting grudges on people or cried for days about an incident. She lived her life as if everyday was her last. In truth, the way Shinra hounded her it could very well be her very last day.

"So, why are you here?" she asked.

"I expected a letter." He replied.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you."

Seeing her was never a disappointment. She scooted over on the bench and patted the spot next to her. She was still offering him a seat. He really wanted to sit down but he could not. If someone spotted him, anyone from Shinra he would be terminated immediately.

"No, thank you." He said again.

"I don't bite," she playfully giggled.

"No but you could if you wanted." He reached over and picked the leaf off her head. Aerith blinked as he held the leaf to show her and then let it flutter to the ground. Aerith smiled at him before sipping her drink.

"How is work?" she asked. "Are you getting enough sleep?"

"Yes," he said looking down at the leaves scattered down around them.

Aerith giggled slightly, Tseng looked at her. She motioned for her finger for him to come closer. He moved slightly and she reached over and pulled a leaf off his shoulder. When did it land there? She let it flutter to the ground. He then watched her pat the spot next to her again.

"Please sit down." She asked softly. "You make me nervous, standing serious like that."

"He never made you nervous, standing like this." Tseng pointed out.

She lowered her eyes to the spot where her hand rested. "You're not Zack."

Tseng turned his head from looking at her. His normal expressionless eyes flickered only for a moment, hurt.

"If you don't have a letter…" he trailed off, turning to leave.

"It's funny," she whispered suddenly. "I wanted to spend time with him when he returned. Isn't it silly of me, wishing like that. "

Tseng looked back at her. It was then he noticed how hard it was for her to keep herself from crying. She did like him a lot, Zack. She looked as if she could fall to pieces. It burned into Tseng, deep down to his core. He wanted to hold her even if it were for just a moment. Could he ever cross that boundary?

Tseng turned around and sat down in the spot Aerith had been trying to get him to sit since he arrived. Just this once, he would cross that boundary between his duties and his feelings.

Surprisingly, he felt Aerith's hand slip into his. Even more surprising to Tseng was feeling her head lean against his shoulder. Tseng did not move. He did not even squeeze her hand in reassurance. He sat there and let her hold her head against him.

Aerith sighed, suffocating a sob that was burning for release. She would not cry, she never cried in front of him. She was too strong yet it was dying for release.

"It's alright," Tseng muttered to her, staring out at the emptiness around them. "Just this once you can cry."

It was quiet for a moment. Then a soft sob escaped her as she whispered, "Thank you."

**X, X, X,**

**Author Note- **This is a couple I find so cute and they are so underrated. I'm a huge Cloud/Aerith fan but this is my second favorite Aerith pairing and I hope I did them some justice. It was actually hard to write a story with them. I hope you liked it. Thanks for reading.

Princess~~


End file.
